Roles and responsibilities of advisory committees

Introduction

Where applicable, the advisory committee acts as a partner with the student and the supervisor in guiding and advising the student on research issues, and assisting supervisors in their monitoring functions. Members are selected based on their complementary fields of expertise, and the nature and planning of the research project. The members provide to the student expert guidance or advice in specific areas of the student’s research work; for the supervisor, advisory committee members provide critical and constructive feedback on the student’s research. The role(s) of advisory committees should be made clear to both the committee members and the student, including the level of commitment and their participation in research milestones, such as comprehensive exams, research proposals, and thesis defenses.

Meetings/consultation

As with all stakeholders, effective and well-structured communications are necessary to create positive relationships between students and their committees. To this end, advisory committees should:

4.1 Meet as required (faculty member/department dependent) to review the student’s progress and provide advice. Advisory committees should meet at the request of students or supervisors. Meetings should be arranged as required to support the student’s progress meetings should occur at least once per year or more frequently as necessary.

4.2 Be reasonably accessible in terms of timely and appropriate communications with students when called upon for general guidance, consultation or discussion on academic progress or research projects.

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.

Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Indigenous Initiatives Office.